Computer media drives are manufactured according to standard dimensions (e.g. 31/2" or 51/4"). This allows computer chassis to be built to accommodate a variety of types of media drives manufactured by a variety of different companies. In addition, media drives are interchangeable within a chassis. For example, a computer chassis can accept a hard drive, a compact disco read only memory drive, a tape drive, and the like. Furthermore, a media drive can be moved from one chassis and fit into any other standard chassis. To remove or install a media drive, however, the cover of the computer chassis must be removed. Furthermore, tools must be used to detach the media drive from or attach the media drive to the computer chassis.
As shown in Prior Art FIG. 1, in the prior art, a media drive 102 is attached directly to the computer chassis 103 using one or more drive screws 104a-104d. The width 105 of media drives is standard, thereby allowing a variety of types of media drives (e.g. hard disk, CD ROM, digital audio tape, DAT, floptical, etc.) to be interchanged within the same drive bay 106.
However, interchanging media drives requires removing drive screws 104a-104d. The computer cover 107 must first be removed in order to gain access to drive screws 104a-104d. Once computer cover 107 is removed, access to drive screws 104a-104d is often obstructed. The obstruction exists because computer chassis are typically designed to occupy as little space as possible. Therefore, various items such as cables, power wires, other media drives, and peripheral equipment are tightly packed within the computer chassis. The tightly packed arrangement of items within typical computer chassis 103 makes the removal of drive screws 104a-104d an awkward and difficult process.
Additionally, several dangers result from removing drive screws improperly. For example, if a drive screw falls into the computer chassis during removal, in most chassis configurations, the drive screw it will drop onto the motherboard 108. Due to compact chassis design, it is very difficult to recover the drive screw from motherboard 108. Furthermore, if the drive screw is not located and recovered it can cause a short on motherboard 108 and seriously damage the computer.
Another danger associated with removing drive screws 104a-104d is that the entire media drive 102 may "drop" once the last screw is removed. In a typical computer chassis design, there is no protection beneath media drive 102. Thus, if the media drive 102 falls, it will damage whatever component resides beneath it. Such media drive drops often damage motherboard 108, another media drive, or the media drive being removed. Furthermore, in the prior art, once a media drive is removed from a computer chassis it is difficult to carry. Often the media drive is hot, has sharp edges, or is otherwise awkward to carry. Additionally, media drives frequently contain sensitive circuitry which can be damaged when touched due to electrical static discharge.
As an additional drawback, in the prior art, drive screws 104a-104d attach media drive 102 directly to computer chassis 103. Thus, media drive 102 is not protected from shock and vibration. Since media drive 102 consists of moving parts, it is susceptible to damage caused by internal vibrations and by shocks transferred from computer chassis 103. Also, loose drive screws 104a-104d exacerbate vibration and shock and increase media drive damage.
Prior art media drives typically have a light emitting diode LED connector for displaying the current status of the media drive. For example, an LED transmitting a green light indicates that the media drive is in use. However, connectors for the LED are commonly located on the back of the media drive. As a result, prior art computer chassis designs typically require wires (not shown) to transport LED signals from the back of media drive 102 to the front of computer chassis 103, such that the LED is visible to a user of the computer. As mentioned above, computer chassis are designed to conserve space. Thus, LED wires within the computer chassis often become entangled with other objects within the computer chassis. In addition, LED wires are susceptible to being cut or severed by some of the objects in the computer, thereby rendering the LED inoperative.
As a further complication, prior art media drives have two types of connector arrangements on the back surface thereof. Older prior art media drives have three separate connectors: a power connector; an address connector; and a signal connector. Multiple connectors are used by several types of media drives such as tape drives and older model disk drives. Newer prior art media drives contain a Single Connector Adapter, SCA, which integrates power address and signal connectors all into a single connector. Both SCA and non-SCA media drives are still in common use.
Thus, a need exists for an apparatus and method which allows media drives to be interchangeably used in different computer chassis without requiring the removal of drive screws. A further need exists for an apparatus and method to transfer LED signals from the back of a media drive to the front of a computer chassis without requiring the use of loose wires. A further need exists for an apparatus which eliminates the awkwardness associated with handling media drives.